The explosion aboard INS Sindhurakshak is a setback, but the Indian Navy will be able to set things right and bounce back, according to experts.

Former Navy chief Admiral Sushil Kumar said the incident was "quite a setback" for the Navy. However, Kumar said he was confident that the Navy would galvanise into action and find out what went wrong.

"There could be many reasons why it happened. Submarines do need a lot of precautions... There are many possible causes for such mishaps, but it is not the first time that such an accident has taken place," Kumar said.

Vice Admiral (retd) AK Singh said an internal explosion on a submarine could have been caused either through material failure or because the standard operating procedure was not followed.

"This is a major loss. Our conventional submarine fleet has been declining alarmingly and this was a frontline submarine," he said.

"The Indian Navy, I am sure, is capable of getting the submarine back, but if the damage is extensive that will take some years."

Vice Admiral (retd) Madanjit Singh said the incident was the first of its kind in the country in peacetime and was a matter to be seriously investigated.

"All these weapons have a series of safeguards: inter-locks - electronic and mechanical - which prevent the weapons from exploding. So, this is a matter of serious investigation as to what caused this explosion," he said.